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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23340301">Haircut</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jinxschoiceweapon/pseuds/jinxschoiceweapon'>jinxschoiceweapon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dungeons &amp; Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons &amp; Dragons - All Media Types, Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dungeons &amp; Dragons 5th Edition, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:00:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,631</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23340301</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jinxschoiceweapon/pseuds/jinxschoiceweapon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Anael's long, curly hair is once again tangled. So, his mother tries to untangle it, while talking about everything and nothing. (set 3 years before the actual campaign’s beginning)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Haircut</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hi !!! wowie first time posting. im not sure what to put here teehee<br/>anael is mine, melinda is our dm's character. melinda adopted anael when he was around 12 or so, and hes got a buttload of trauma, but shes trying !!! shes a really good mom and i will die for her</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun had been rising since a bit, and the birds have started to sing. It was a pretty sunny morning in Phandelver, and everybody has started to wake up at around 5 to 7 or so. Alderleaf’s annoying rooster started to caw everyone awake, much to a certain little red tiefling’s disappointment.</p><p>Softly groaning, Anael slowly opened his eyes, looking at the empty wooden ceiling. Or, well, what he assumed would be the ceiling. Because the only thing he saw right now, was his extremely long and frizzy black hair. He guessed it somehow decided on its own to go right on his face.</p><p>He knew exactly, just touching it for a second, that it was a complete mess. All tangled. Anael felt sad for a moment, remembering how Melinda spent hours de-tangling it only three days ago. But it’s back to step one, once again.</p><p>He got up from his bed, and as soon as his hooves touched the wooden floor, it felt numbingly cold. It was around the end of Nightal, beginning of Hammer. And as such, it was getting pretty frigid outside, with the ground, houses and trees being draped in white everywhere. He turned his head to look at his bed, and saw his little rat sleeping on it, fully showing her chubby tummy. He scritched her, and as he did so, she jolted awake, squeaking in the process.  </p><p>‘’Come on Cheeseball, I gotta fix my nest of hair.’’ He said so, while he dressed himself up with a plain white shirt, brown pants and some black furry boots his mother had found in her old closet, and left his room, with Cheeseball on his shoulder, going downstairs.</p><p>As he walked downstairs, he could start hearing the chatter of the people ordering their breakfast and talking. The people coming in and leaving, and the sounds of porcelain plates clicking onto wooden tables. And some old men laughing a little further.</p><p>He then walked a little further away, towards the central public bathroom. And as he arrived, he saw a pretty long line, with men waiting to get in the bathroom to throw up because they were all so hungover.</p><p>The joys of living in a tavern. Waiting for sometimes hours to go to the bathroom because some guys decided to intoxicate themselves the night before. But hey, it’s better than sleeping in the streets while it rains.</p><p>He sighed, rolling his eyes, and turning to go see the nearest staff member, which was Elsa. She was a pretty lady with tied up blonde hair, green eyes and pointy ears. </p><p>‘’Line at the bathroom again ?’’ She asked Anael while drying a glass. ‘’Yeah. I guess it was a pretty wild night yesterday.’’ She answered her. ‘’Oh, yeah. We were booked like crazy too.’’ She said, and as she looked up to the tiefling, she inspected him for a second. ‘’Oh, man. Your hair is a mess. Can I touch ?’’ She asked, to which Anael just shrugged as to say yes. ‘’Oh geez… It’s completely tangled. I’ll go get my brush quick !’’ She said, before running off to the other side of the inn. Anael took a chair from an unattended table and sat on it, waiting for Elsa to come back, and half-heartedly waving back hello to the newcomers.</p><p>She finally came back, slightly waving her brush. ‘’Here ! I don’t have a comb unfortunately, but it’ll do the trick... I hope.’’ She said. ‘’Look forward.’’ She continued, just as Anael did so. As soon as she put the brush through his tangled curls and pulled ever so slightly, she could hear Anael try not to scream and instead silently whine. ‘’Ah, even if I try not to pull, it’s still really tangled… i’m sorry !’’ She said.</p><p>‘’It’s fine, please continue.’’ He said, making Elsa reluctantly bite her lip. ‘’It’s going to really hurt… sorry !’’ She said, before going all in, and forcing quite a lot more than the last brush. Anael started whining increasingly louder and louder to the point where he was on the brink of actually screaming. ‘’I’m sorry ! I’m so sorry !!!” Elsa told him, feeling guilty hearing him screaming because of her. </p><p>‘’I think i’ll stop… i’m sorry, there’s not much I can do. But, hey, you can keep my brush for awhile !’’ She said. ‘’Heh… It’s okay, Elsa. It’s still nice that you tried…’’ He continued, fiddling with the wooden brush, until she left to go back behind the bar, taking orders from clients.</p><p>He brought the brush back to a lock of tangled hair, put it in, and tried to force through. But of course, nothing was de-tangling. Sighing, he got up from the chair, still trying to brush his hair while walking towards the back of the inn. He knew that it would most likely be where his mother would be, probably reading a book or something, as it was her off day. He felt guilty, because even if it was one of his mother’s only off days, he still needed her help someway or another.</p><p>Anael hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door of his mother’s room, looking down on the wooden floor. What a terrible son he was, really. He breathed in for a minute, holding it in, and knocked on the door, waiting for a response. </p><p>‘’I’m on my off day, go away.’’ Anael heard his mother say, which made him chuckle a little, but still feeling a twinge of guiltiness. ‘’Uhm… it’s me… kinda need your help…’’ He hesitantly answered her. ‘’Oh ! Come in.’’ </p><p>He entered the room, seeing that his mother was in fact reading a book, like he predicted. She looked up from it, and her expression softly changed to one of disappointment. ‘’Oh, sweetie, your hair…’’ Anael looked down, fiddling with his fingers, while the uncomfortable silence set in. ‘’... Is that Elsa’s brush ?’’ She asked. ‘’Oh, yeah, she tried to help me, but it didn’t work. But she gave me her brush for awhile.’’ </p><p>‘’Come here, i’ll see what I can do about it.’’ She said, as Anael gave her the brush and installed himself on the edge of the bed, with his mother right behind him. "Now, i'm gonna start from the bottom to the top, alright ? Have you tried that ?" She said, while starting to gently brush. "No, I… forgot…" He answered, as his mother chuckled. "You seem to forget a lot of stuff ! You're so young though, you shouldn't !" She said, moreso in a playfully joking matter, rather than a mean one. </p><p>"Hah, you're right." Anael said, and Melinda could hear the twinge of guiltiness in his voice. "I guess… i've been thinking about some stuff, lately." Melinda's eyebrows knitted, while she continuously brushed his hair. "And what is this "stuff"?" She asked him in a slightly concerned tone. </p><p>"... I keep having nightmares about… uh… you know...." He said, which Melinda felt like her heart definitely broke a bit. "Oh…" She responded, sighing at the same time. "You wanna talk about it ? You've never really talked to me about it before." She asked him, as she grabbed another one of his tangled locks, pursing her lips together.</p><p>"Oh… right… is it okay ?’’ He asked, to Melinda's surprise. "Why, of course that's ok ! I'm your mother, you know ? You can talk to me about anything and everything that's on your mind !" She replied, still brushing his hair, trying so hard not to pull on it too harshly. </p><p>"Yeah… I know, just…" He said, trying hard not to stumble on his words. "...I never really had anybody to talk to before, you know ?" Another pang to her heart she felt, nodding in agreement, but mostly in sympathy.</p><p>He scritched Cheeseball some more, who was laying flat on the bed, and sighed. ‘’... Yeah, i’m not sure why. I’ve been thinking about him as of lately. I…’’ He paused for a moment, looking down to his feet, as if to process his thoughts. ‘’... I don’t know. Even if I left, it’s like he’s still haunting me.’’ </p><p>‘’And… I keep having those… memories repeating themselves whenever i’m asleep.’’ Anael continued, sighing. ‘’... it sucks major dick.’’ ‘’Hey, language !’’ His mother exclaimed, tapping on the top of his head lightly, to which Anael just snickered at.</p><p>Melinda continued to brush his hair, sighing at the same time. ‘’It’s in the past, ok ? And I want you to know that you feeling this way is okay. It’s normal.’’ The mother told her son, pulling lightly on one of his locks. ‘’Sorry, it might hurt a bit.’’ She warned. </p><p>‘’I know, but… i’m just…’’ He stated, pausing. ‘’... tired. Of feeling this way, I mean.’’ Melinda’s eyebrows knitted together once more, empathetic expression washing over her face. ‘’I know, love. But you’re here now, ok ?’’ She started, detangling a specific lock of hair. ‘’Sometimes, you’re going to remember the hurt life’s been throwing at you. And, well,’’ She continued, exhaling. ‘’it’s going to hurt. But the best you- hell, we can do, is to move forward.’’</p><p>She stopped brushing for a minute, gently petting his hair instead. ‘’I’m gonna say, you’ve already made a lot of progress, so far.’’ She told him warmly, to which a small smile started to form at the corners of his mouth.  </p><p>‘’And don’t you worry about him coming back, because he'll have to go through me and your father first ! And I don’t mean to brag, but i’m a pretty good fighter !’’ Melinda continued, in a successful attempt at making her son laugh some more. He started fidgeting some more with his hands nervously. ‘’Yeah, I know… thanks.’’ </p><p>‘’Oh, shush, don’t you thank me ! It’s just what I have to do.’’ She continued playfully, still carefully brushing. </p><p>Anael, looking around the floor as his mother was still trying to help, was trying to think of some other things to talk about, other than his rampant nightmares. "Elsa told me some new guy came in yesterday. With, like, bulky armor, and a huge sword too." Anael started, making hand gestures at the same time. "She thinks he might've been an aasimar."</p><p>‘’Oh !’’ Melinda exclaimed, surprised. ‘’Aasimars are quite rare, right ? I don’t think i’ve actually ever met one yet.’’ She started.</p><p>‘’Heh, yeah." He continued, chuckling at how surprised yet excited his mother sounded. “Actually, I don’t think I even really met a tiefling before you.’’ She told him, to his surprise. ‘’Seriously ?’’ He asked.</p><p>‘’Well, you know… Phandelver isn’t really known for its diversity.’’ She uttered playfully. ‘’Hah, true. I”ve only really seen humans and dwarves here. Elves are here too but, you know. I guess they’re pretty rare here.’’ Anael responded, before Melinda continued. ‘’Alright, the bottom of your hair seems to be better. Now, i’m gonna try to detangle the rest, alright ?’’ She asked him to which he nodded in agreement.</p><p>‘’People here… they’re not too fond of elves. I’m not sure why…’’ Melinda continued. ‘’I’ve met some before, and i’m not sure if it’s because i’m so good and amazing,’’ She jokingly started, ‘’But they were usually very nice to me.’’ She ended, which made Anael laugh a bit, before reluctantly bite his bottom lip. ‘’Also, don’t tell your father, but I think they’re super pretty.’’ She said to her son, in jest, to which he let a small giggle out once again.</p><p>Anael frowned a bit, before sighing. ‘’Uhm… while I was out with dad to get the provisions yesterday…’’ he stated, mumbling a bit. ‘’Uhm…i’m not sure if he lives here, or whatever, but…’’ He continued, starting to pick at the scabs of his fingers caused by his shamisen, a bad old nervous tic he has. ‘’... Some guy looked at me weirdly the whole time… and…’’ He gulped, trying to continue, to which his mother had a concerned expression. ‘’... He told me that… he doesn’t work with monsters like me.’’  </p><p>Shock. Melinda was completely shocked from her son’s confession. She could feel the anger and rage starting to bubble inside her stomach, trying hard not to let it get to the best of her. ‘’... Mom ?’’ Her son called her, which made her snap out of her anger fueled trance. ‘’... Oh, sweetie… I swear… do you know his name ?’’ She interrogated him, starting to brush his hair once again. </p><p>‘’Oh, uh… no, I don’t think so.’’ He answered her. ‘’He just looked old. I think it’s just the old mentality, or whatever.’’ He muttered, right to be cut off by his mother. ‘’No. That is unacceptable. Old mentality or not, that is just wrong to say this to someone, let alone a child.’’ </p><p>Anael bit his quivering lip, fidgeting even more with his fingers. "It's fine, mom… it's not the first time it happened." He informed her, to which she continued. "And I think it's bullshit." She spat back, not towards her son, but towards the image of the old man he described she fabricated in her mind. "Hey, language !" Anael exclaimed jokingly, to which Melinda just rolled her eyes, and begrudgingly let out a sarcastic chuckle, before going back to a more serious expression.</p><p>Melinda put aside the brush for a moment, and gently cupped Anael's face with one of her hands, as she pushed aside his bangs that always covers his eyes with the other. "Look," She started, looking directly into her son's red, slightly crossed-eyes. "... People hate what isn't exactly like them… and I can't do much about it, as much as I want to." She continued, as Anael looked at her, and saw how much she wanted to help.</p><p> "... You have to be strong out there. And I know you already are…" She continued, a faint empathetic smile drawing on her lips. "... but you have to be safe, ok ? For my sake. And your fathers, and-" She said, letting out a breath she didn't know she had. "... and yours. Because you don't deserve to be treated this way.’’ She looked to the side for a moment, trying to think of something else to say to him. ‘’Just… don’t be stupid out there, alright ?’’</p><p>He looked at her, letting an anxious chuckle out, with a nervous yet understanding smile, as he thought of how his mother was a bit too concerned about him. ‘’I know, mom. I’ll be okay, promise.’’ He started to chuckle slightly. ‘’I mean, I haven’t gotten murdered yet.’’ </p><p>‘’Don’t you joke about that !’’ His mother said in a stern voice. ‘’Alright, sorry.’’ He replied, as she removed her hands from his cheeks, and moved back behind him to continue brushing his hair. </p><p>‘’How is it ?’’ He asked Melinda, who was still trying so hard not to hurt his scalp. ‘’There’s one part that just won’t budge !’’ She answered, still brushing, getting more and more frustrated by the second. ‘’Come on, now !’’ She grumbled under her breath, still brushing. </p><p>‘’Ah-’’ He yelped, to which Melinda immediately excused herself for pulling on the hair too harshly. ‘’Oh sweetie,’’ She started, sighing and putting the brush down. ‘’It just won’t detangle, not matter how hard I try.’’ </p><p>‘’Oh...’’ Anael started, looking behind his shoulder to look at his mother. ‘’...so… what now ?’’ He asked her, to which she looked at him with pursed lips and a disappointed expression. ‘’... Have you had a haircut before ?’’</p><p>Anael just nodded in disagreement, to which Melinda got up the bed, and started to search through the drawers of her room. He guessed his previous "father" never felt bothered to cut it at least once in awhile, and as so, it had became so long it was just a big clump of hair.</p><p>Memories of a younger version of him, sitting in the little cabin he once lived, trying to play with whatever little things he had available were starting to plague his thoughts. And the remembrance of the man he had once called his father returning to it after an entire day, wearing some dirty old priest robe. Not saying a word to his son was enough for his brain to lose itself in his thoughts, blocking itself from the clicking sounds of Melinda opening and closing cabinets, and the muffled chit-chats of the customers that were just the other side of the room.</p><p>The memories of him and the priest-looking man eating some bland meal he had prepared for the both of them, and Anael not understanding why he wouldn’t even talk at all, even when the tiefling tried to get the man's attention. The memories of Anael running away from the burning cabin for the first time, hearing the people outside just talking to each other, and him realizing that he just… could not talk at all.</p><p>Him sitting right outside of the town master's hall, on a rainy day, trying hard not to let himself succumb from his empty stomach begging for food, being completely drenched from the abundant, freezing rain. And him ending up searching in trash boxes and crates for scraps of food, until the owner of the tavern opened the back door to see him, and taking pity of him, welcoming the child inside.</p><p>His mind was lost in those thoughts, or rather memories, until a certain motherly voice made him snap out of his flashbacks, shaking his head lightly.</p><p>"Got them !" She confessed excitedly, a pair of copper scissors in her hands. They looked a bit old too, as there was a bit of rust on the blades and handles of it.</p><p>She sat back down behind Anael, who was petting Cheeseball some more, who was still living the life on the bed. "Ready ?" His mother asked him, to which he simply nodded in agreement. </p><p>She snipped a lock of his curled hair, and it already felt so… freeing, he thought, in some weird way or another. She snipped again, and again, and it went on for awhile.</p><p>‘’This is looking good, already.’’ Melinda confessed warmly, cutting more and more locks each second passed. </p><p>Around ten minutes later, Anael heard the last snip, and heard his mother sighing. ‘’It’s done !’’ She exclaimed, jumping off the bed and looking at the other from the front. ‘’Oh, you look even cuter !’’ </p><p>‘’Oh, I forgot !’’ She said once more, before grabbing a small wooden mirror, and giving it to Anael, to which he looked himself in it. </p><p>He stayed silent for a moment, his brain trying to process his new physique. ‘’I left your little… bangs that cover your eyes.’’ She started, her voice ever so slightly nervous. ‘’... But we can cut them if you want ! I just… think it’s cute.’’ </p><p>Anael brought his hand to the side of his head, to which he just… touched it. Felt how his normally absurdly long and messy hair was so nice and short. It still felt curly though. He turned to his mother, smiling, whilst showing his triangle-shaped razor sharp teeth. ‘’Thanks. I love it.’’ </p><p>‘’Oh, great ! I’m so happy !’’ She said, smiling with her tired looking eyes closed, revealing slight eye wrinkles, holding both of her hands tight together. Anael kept looking in the mirror, while he realized that he had never seen himself like this before. Not just the hair, but just… the entire thing. The haircut. The clothes on his back. The home.</p><p>The family he now has.</p><p>‘’Now, if you excuse me,’’ She started, taking a wooden broom. ‘’I have to clean this mess. Oh,’’ She continued, tapping on Anael’s shoulder before he got up from the bed. ‘’I think your father wants you to help him with customers today.’’ She confessed, to which Anael turned his head to look at her. "You can just ask me yourself, you know ? I know he didn't say it." Anael answered sarcastically, as his mother rolled her eyes. "Let's go, hop hop !" She exclaimed jokingly.</p><p>Anael put his clawed right hand on the doorknob, but actually turned himself again one last time before leaving. "Uh, mom ?" He inquired her.</p><p>She looked up at him, shaking her head, humming, as to ask him non verbally "What ?". </p><p>"Thanks. For everything." He told her, to which she smiled, understanding exactly what he actually meant. "Don't thank me, darling. If you need it trimmed some more, just ask." She said, ending with a wink.</p><p>"Yeah, I will. Thanks !" He told her, wiping a tear that was gonna roll down on his face in advance, before opening the door and leaving the room, closing it behind him.  </p><p>He took a deep breath, and exhaled, thoughts overworking his mind (in a good way, somehow). He walked towards his father, telling him about how Melinda wanted him to help around with the clients and such. </p><p>After a long day of helping around with his father with drunken and occasionally whiny customers, Anael got up his bed, to which Cheeseball jumped off his shoulder, and tucked herself right into the thick wool blanket. </p><p>He looked at the ceiling, touching his hair once more, feeling how short it was. It felt… weird. Different, but good. Change is good, he thought.</p><p>All sorts of thoughts were racing through his head. Mostly about how after years of having nobody, it finally settled in that he now had people caring about him. That he was at least useful for something, other than playing his shamisen and stealing.</p><p>A stray tear rolled down his cheek, while still looking up to the dark wooden planks that formed the ceiling, shakily breathing. He brought the back of his hand to it, wiping it and sniffling in precaution.</p><p>He finally belonged somewhere, now.</p><p>But why was he feeling immense dread, then ? Like a worry in the back of his mind, slowly engulfing the very few positive thoughts he's had in awhile. As if… </p><p>… to say nothing good truly lasts forever.</p>
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